Faer Isles Distillery begins production

A new distillery on Faroe Islands has started whisky production, with a target of producing 600 barrels this year.

The Faer Isles Distillery has been on a 23,000m² site near the village of Kvívík on the Faroe Islands.

The past four years have seen the designing, procuring, and installing of a whisky brew house and still house on the site. The project was crowdfunded by two investment drives, its Founders Club and a cryptocurrency-backed security token offering.

The distillery will use an ‘age-old’ way of maturing casks, taking inspiration from how food is preserved and fermented on the islands.

This includes the hanging out of lamb and fish to try in traditional ‘opnahjallur’ (drying houses), maximising their exposure to humid, salty air.

As 60%-80% of whisky flavour comes from maturation, the producer said, this will create a ‘maritime style’ finish for liquid.

The whisky will also be lightly peated. The distillery will offer some of the first casks for sale on its website, although the waiting list is almost full. The producer is aiming to produce 600 barrels this year.

While installing the dedicated whisky stills, Faer Isles has been producing gin, aquavit and vodka.

The spirits will be released on the European and Asian market during 2023.

Last month it was revealed that Deerness Distillery will open mainland Orkney’s first whisky distillery in 138 years and is selling the first 200 casks of its single malt Scotch.

Also in March, the Artisanal Spirits Company, owner of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, launched a £2.5 million cask storage and bottling plant, marking what the company called a “real step change” in its supply chain performance.